Cappella di San Michele Arcangelo, Renaissance chapel in Semifonte, Italy.
Cappella di San Michele Arcangelo is an octagonal Renaissance chapel with a dome, standing in the countryside of Barberino Tavarnelle in Tuscany. Rectangular windows run along its outer walls, and the dome follows the same proportions as Florence Cathedral at a 1:8 ratio.
Architect Santi di Tito built the chapel between 1594 and 1597 after receiving special permission from Grand Duke Ferdinando I. This permission was unusual because new construction had been banned in this area since the city of Semifonte was destroyed in 1202.
The interior of the chapel is centered on a painting by Bernardino Poccetti, completed in 1597, showing Saint Michael the Archangel with other religious figures. This work gives the small space a clear devotional focus that visitors can take in at close range.
The chapel sits near Petrognano and can be reached by local roads in the Barberino Tavarnelle area. Since it stands in open countryside, visitors should be prepared for a short walk from where they park.
The dome of this chapel was designed using the exact same geometric ratios as the dome of Florence Cathedral, simply reduced to one eighth of the size. Anyone who knows both buildings will notice the family resemblance right away.
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